


Wherever it Leads

by TwilightsInferno



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Crime Scenes, F/M, Graphic Description
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-30
Updated: 2019-11-30
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:53:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,388
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21607867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TwilightsInferno/pseuds/TwilightsInferno
Summary: CSI Barry Allen must decide whether or not to re-examine a closed case at the pleading of its prime suspect: Caitlin SnowDay 5: Prison/PrisonerSnowbarry Week 2019
Relationships: Barry Allen/Caitlin Snow
Comments: 11
Kudos: 53
Collections: Snowbarry Week 2019





	Wherever it Leads

**Author's Note:**

> So funny story I actually finished this little thing in 24 hours after I posted my Chemfrost one a few months ago but it fit this prompt for Snowbarry Week so I decided to wait and share it now! I hope you enjoy!

_ “Follow the evidence wherever it leads, and question everything.”- Neil deGrasse Tyson _

  
  


Barry walked the halls of the CCPD precinct file in hand, quickly going down the steps, careful to not miss one, and making it into the bullpen as he walked up to one of the desks.

“Hey Joe, you wanted to see me?” He said as he approached.

“Right yes, follow me, we’re going down to interrogation,” The detective replied as he stood up, stuffing things into his pockets before they headed out.

Barry furrowed his brows as he followed, “Well um, I brought my notes on the Zoloman case like you asked.”

Joe waved off Barry’s attempt to hand it over.

“Keep it, you’re going to be the one needing it.”

“Why?”

“You remember the suspect?”

“Of course. Dr. Caitlin Snow, formerly a bioengineer at Star Laboratories before she was accused of murdering Zoloman with a deadly toxin. Kind of hard to forget.”

“God, that scene was a mess,” Joe grimaced and Barry remembered that day as clear as if it was this morning.

_ Young and only a month fresh into his new job at CCPD Barry ducked under the crime scene tape into the apartment, his CSI kit in hand. He quickly took in the scene. The couch and the carpet were soaked with blood while in a pool of it just in front of the furniture lay a man. Tall- taller than himself if Barry had to guess-, broad, blonde, and he was sure when alive he was a good looking guy, but as of right now he was in an ugly state. Drying blood and foam caking around his mouth. Not to mention the blood also coming from his nose. Overdose, rabies, poison? Barry’s brain quickly cataloged a few possibilities as his eyes moved on. _

_ Nothing much seemed out of place in the apartment except for the woman talking to the female police officer at the table on the far side of the room, a witness unable to leave the scene before being questioned and processed he was sure. Chestnut waves, brown eyes wide in shock glancing towards the dead man every so often, despite her view being obstructed by the couch, only to dart away just as quickly. Barry had the strangest feeling he had seen her somewhere before. His eyes quickly looked for a ring but found nothing. The deceased’s girlfriend, perhaps? _

_ “What do we got, Detective?” Barry asked stepping up to Joe. _

_ “Deceased, male, late twenties. Name is Hunter Zoloman, he lived here with his girlfriend,” Joe gestured towards the girl at the table, “Dr. Caitlin Snow. She says they were talking on the couch, having a drink, when suddenly he started convulsing, frothing at the mouth, and spitting up blood. He then became unconscious with no pulse. She moved him to the floor to start chest compressions and called 911 but he was dead before the ambulance arrived.” _

After that it didn’t take Barry long to figure out what had killed Hunter and how he knew who Dr. Snow was. She had been in one of his science magazines a few months back for the research she was conducting at Star Labs, one of the most prestigious facilities in the city, and the poison he found in Hunter’s system matched those exact high level chemicals she had access to. Soon after that discovery she was charged with her boyfriend’s murder. Case closed. So why was Joe bringing it up now?

“What about her, Detective?” Barry asked as they walked down the hall.

“Her trial is coming up in a couple of weeks and her and her lawyer are going over the details of the case to form a defense. They want to see the forensics.”

“And we couldn’t just send the files over?” Barry huffed a little thinking of the large stack of cases he still had to go over today. He had no time or desire to help a murderer try and go free.

“Captain Singh said they wanted to speak with you. Something about a scientific mind, I don’t know. Look, Barr, you just have to do it. Lawyers and criminals, it’s all part of the job.”

Barry sighed scratching his neck, “I know, I know.”

“Now get in there already before the lawyer gets upset,” Joe said and they both shuddered at the thought.

“Right, wish me luck,” Barry said before with a nod he entered the interrogation room.

Upon entering he saw a table where Dr. Caitlin Snow sat, while she was in much nicer clothes than the Iron Heights jumpsuit he last saw her in she still wore the same wide eyed fearful expression she had dawned since that day in her apartment. Seated beside her was Cecile Horton, her lawyer who had clearly been sorting through the evidence boxes full of copied files on the table before he entered. Barry fought a grin at how he knew Joe would take back his lawyer comment if he knew it was Cecile who was here.

“Ah Mr. Allen! Thank you for joining us!” Cecile came over and shook his hand.

“Pleasure to see you Ms. Horton,” He responded politely before sitting down, “Shall we get started?”

“Yes, let’s,” Cecile said pleasantly as she took her seat, “My client wanted to speak with you in particular Mr. Allen about the facts of this case and the evidence you accumulated on it.”

“Was there something wrong with my findings in your client’s opinion?” Barry asked keeping his tone professional as he folded his hands atop the table.

“In the science, no, but in the conclusion, yes. She thought perhaps of all people you could understand her case.”

“Which is?”

“She was framed.”

Barry’s eyebrows raised as he risked a glance over at Caitlin, who was looking down at her hands now, before turning his attention back to Cecile.

“Ms. Horton my findings on Dr. Snow’s case are very solid, I went over them many times. I’m not sure what else I could do to aid you.”

Suddenly Caitlin shifted so fast it startled them both as she gently grabbed onto Cecile’s arm and whispered something to her and Barry only caught snatches of what was said.

“I really don’t-- Caitlin, I strongly advise against this--”

“Ms. Horton let me just try-- Please--”

And finally once the their whispering stopped they both turned back to him, Cecile looking slightly less pleased than before.

“My client has asked for a moment alone with you, if that’s alright.”

Barry sat in stunned silence as he blinked. A suspected murderer wanted a moment alone with him? Was that allowed?

“I um... I suppose so. If it’s not against any rules or anything?” Barry said unsurely.

“No, Mr. Allen. Dr. Snow has been deemed not a risk and is out on bail so it’s not against any rules. I’ll be right outside, okay?” Cecile said, glancing between the two of them as they both nodded and she left.

There was a pause as Barry could feel the tension in the air thicken. He glanced over at Caitlin who was warily looking back at him.

“Was there something specific you wanted to discuss?” He started.

“Do you believe I did it?” She finally asked as she looked up at him with those big brown eyes, her voice seemed hoarse like she had been sleep deprived and crying. He had to admit, it was even giving him doubts. But he pushed those thoughts away as he steeled himself and opened the case file.

“It doesn’t matter what I believe Dr. Snow, what matters is what the evidence says. And it all points to you as the killer.”

“You’re lying.”

He looked up at her in shock, taken aback by such accusation,

“Excuse me?”

“My lawyers had a file on you and I read it. You believe your father was wrongfully convicted of your mother’s murder even though all the facts say otherwise--”

“I’m not the one we’re talking about here.”

“--Every single bit of forensics points to your father but you still believe it’s not him. Even with the prints and the blood and--”

“That’s enough!” He shot out stunning her into silence. She was dragging up far more painful memories than he could handle. He ran a hand over his face to calm himself before looking back at her and met her eyes as her’s bored into him. She wasn’t backing down he’d give her that much.

“It’s why I wanted to talk to you. It’s not just that case but the other’s you’ve worked on too. You’re a man of science but... you believe in people. You know when good people are in trouble and you want to help them. Ms. Horton, she told me that if anyone would understand it would be you. So please, Mr. Allen, believe me. I did not kill Hunter Zoloman.”

It was the longest he had heard her speak since her police interviews and he couldn’t deny there was something about her and her claims that made him want to believe she was telling the truth. Almost painfully so. But he couldn’t fight the facts and he couldn’t simply fall for a claim just because she asked him too.

“While I appreciate that Ms. Horton and yourself think so highly of me, I think it’s in your best interest if you’re the one who stops lying. He was your boyfriend, multiple witnesses claim he was abusive to you in public. You had motive, means, and opportunity. The chemicals in his blood were found in _ your _ lab in a concoction only a skilled biochemist such as yourself could achieve. My advice? Claim self defense. Jury’s tend to take pity on a victim who takes lengths to protect themselves,” He told her truthfully before closing his folder and making to leave.

He was halfway to the door before she called, “Mr. Allen, please wait!”

Barry stopped and turned back towards her slightly.

“I’m innocent I swear!” Her gaze became more desperate as she saw he remained unconvinced, “If I am as half as smart as you think I am don’t you think I would know not to use something that can be traced  _ only _ to me? If I am really so skilled don’t you think I’d make something that would disappear into the bloodstream? If I was really so ruthless wouldn’t I have planned every step of this? Including how not to get caught? In order to make this formula you claim I made it requires premeditation, hours of work, it wasn’t like I was just upset one night and grabbed the first deadly thing I could find. No. This was planned. It was planned to set me up and to kill Hunter in the worst way possible. He was a jerk and I was going to break up with him but I could never-- I wouldn’t--”

Suddenly her voice cracked as she buried her head in her hands as Barry couldn't help but stare down at her. 

She had many good points. They were questions he had begged of himself more times than he could count throughout the investigation. He especially could never make sense of why someone as intelligent as her would use something so easy to track but with no other leads or explanations she remained their only viable suspect. Especially with how many eye witness testimonies claimed her to be cold, particularly in the face of her boyfriend’s temper where some even said she had a chilling anger all her own. All except for one. Her best friend, Cisco Ramon. At first, Barry thought her friend was simply too far in denial to believe the truth but... what if he was the only one who saw the real her? The only one that knew the side of her that would be breaking down here in front of him now as she gave her heartfelt pleas. Or it could all be some clever trick.

But in his heart he knew that wasn’t true.

Her words and Cisco’s had always rang with a truth he struggled to ignore. He had been so new to the job and Joe had warned him about falling down rabbit holes, especially ones with no evidence to support them, and was already upset he was pursuing his father’s case for the same reasons. So he kept his head down, pushed it aside and stuck to the evidence but that little voice telling him to dig deeper had never gone away. And maybe it was right.

He gave a heavy sigh, knowing Joe was going to kill him for this, as he sat back down in his seat across from her. She peered up at him cautiously, like an animal both scared and curious at the same time. And the doubts that had been plaguing him about this case fell away as he saw her for what she was. An innocent woman with a unique position and skill set that made her the perfect scapegoat. And he had to help her.

“I can’t promise you anything but you’re right. Belief matters and I believe you and I will try my best to help you.”

She let out a sharp breath of surprise as she stared at him dumbstruck until the smallest of smiles started to come to her face, “Thank you.”

Barry huffed a slight laugh, “Don’t thank me yet, we’re going to have to go through every single bit of evidence in these boxes again and see what we can find. And then no matter what we have to come up with a proper alternative theory and proof. And who knows how long that could take. So, I have to ask, are you sure you really want to do this? It could be far more beneficial to just build a self defense case.”

“I didn’t kill Hunter and I’m not going to admit to a crime I didn’t commit, Mr. Allen.”

Her conviction bore through as he nodded.

“Barry,” He corrected, “You can call me Barry.”

Her small grin only grew, “Barry it is then, but only if you call me Caitlin.”

He found himself smiling back as he pulled over an evidence box and said, “Alright, Caitlin, that I can do that. Now come on let’s get to work.”

**Author's Note:**

> And there it is! I may or may not make it a multi part thing, but I think it also works pretty well as a stand alone so let me know if you'd like to see more!


End file.
